Start Delimiter: Every sentence begins with a "$" or "!" (for encapsulated data like AIS).
If you are involved in marine electronics, DIY robotics, or GPS integration, you have inevitably encountered the term . It is the lingua franca of marine communication, the standard that allows a GPS receiver to talk to an autopilot, or a depth sounder to talk to a chart plotter.
The official NMEA 0183 standard is a and is generally not available for free as a complete PDF . For the full official specification, you must purchase it directly from the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) . nmea 0183 protocol pdf
'G' ^ 'P' ^ 'G' ^ 'G' ^ 'A' ^ ',' ^ '1' ^ ... = 0x47
Every NMEA 0183 message is a string of printable ASCII characters. A standard sentence follows a strict format: Start Delimiter: Every sentence begins with a "$" or "
XOR each character:
Checksum: A "*" followed by a two-digit hexadecimal number to verify data integrity. End Delimiter: A carriage return and line feed (CR/LF). Common NMEA 0183 Sentences The official NMEA 0183 standard is a and
NMEA 0183 Information Sheet (Actisense) : Covers electrical signaling, 4800 baud data bus, and basic sentence formats. The NMEA 0183 Protocol (Ab TRONICO Oy)
This is the most essential sentence. It provides location data, time, and altitude. $GPGGA,123519,4807.038,N,01131.000,E,1,08,0.9,545.4,M,46.9,M,,*47
: A comprehensive 70+ page guide detailing standard and proprietary sentences like GGA, GSA, and GSV.
Since the official NMEA 0183 Interface Standard is a paid document ($700+), most users rely on manufacturer implementation guides and public technical summaries.